Category: College Football

Long time readers of The Open Man may be aware of our disdain for charlatan “gambling guys” among the sports media ranks, particularly those at FS1. So, it is safe to say myself and The Open Man head honcho Kyle Kensing were not surprised when we saw flagrant sports media gambling violator Jason McIntyre’s website,…

I'm workin' for an hourly wage I Went to high school Didn't do great Odds are if you watched cable television at any length in the late 2000s/early 2010s, reading the above probably implanted a song in your head that you cannot get out. But if not, the below should do the trick. January 2019…

If Bru McCoy transfers, how likely is the ncaa to rule him immediately eligible? And if he's eligible, does that open the floodgates for any student athlete to transfer after their coach leaves shortly after signing day? — ozz (@ozzdotnet) January 25, 2019 I am watching Bru McCoy's transfer with particular interest, because how the…

Sneaking a keg of beer up a flight of stairs in a college dorm is no easy. My friends and I doing so on Super Bowl Sunday 2002 was the first upset of the day; the New England Patriots beating the St. Louis Rams in an instant classic marked the second. In the 16 years…

We're now a half-decade into the College Football Playoff era, and the initial returns are decidedly mixed. The uproar over location this year combined with another dip in semifinal ratings, culminating in a reportedly record-low title game viewership. The sample size remains relatively small, but don't think it's not enough to cause overreactions — including…

Levi's Stadium sucks. Were Gavin Belson to own an NFL franchise, Levi's Stadium is the monument to his ego he would have constructed: Luxury amenities for Silicon Valley executives; plopped in the middle of Hooli's office park, easily accessible only for developers walking from work; and awful in every other way, including as a football…

Syracuse closed out its 2018 season with a 34-18, Camping World Bowl win over West Virginia, which is meaningful on a few fronts. The Orange finish 10-3 for Syracuse's first double-digit-win campaign since 2001. Syracuse came into the Camping World Bowl ranked No. 20; with a win over No. 16, the Orange are assured their…

In 2015, The Open Man spotlit the option offense. The scheme's been a longtime cornerstone of college football for generations, but gained some added relevance that season between Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds playing at a level that deserved Heisman consideration; The Citadel stunning South Carolina ahead of a surprise FCS Playoffs appearance; Georgia Southern storming…

LOS ANGELES — Walking the tunnel that leads from the locker rooms to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum's playing surface can sometimes feel like a vortex between worlds. Head to the east, and you're under the brilliant illumination of the stadium's lights, the iconic Olympic torch ablaze, treading across the same turf that forged the legends…

Oklahoma has made two trips to the College Football Playoff, and each time, the Sooners were able to overcome an October loss in Big 12 Conference play. To have any chance of a third CFP appearance, OU faces a similar scenario. Allowing a rivalry record 48 points to the Longhorns spelled the end of Mike…

New scrutiny of Pac-12 officiating is reaching a boiling point that will only get worse until commissioner Larry Scott takes a firm and transparent stance — neither of which has yet happened. #Pac12Refs is a longstanding and running joke on Twitter, the critical nature of which is rooted in some truth. In 2014, I chronicled…

It's that time again! You know what time it is! Time is time! IT'S PUNT TIME! Yes, folks, it is that time for another edition of the Third Phase. Or as I like to call it, "Spend all day trying to think of writing a good intro." Powerful Purdue Punting Pickles Plucky Plentiful (P)Ohio (P)State…

TCU is experiencing a a terrible, horrible, very bad, no good week. Saturday the Frogs fell to 3-4 after Oklahoma varnished and shellacked them, 52-27, on national television. Monday TCU coach Gary Patterson announced that sophomore quarterback Shawn Robinson, the highest-rated QB signee in school history, would have season-ending shoulder surgery. The biggest headline, though,…

Sometimes how you win can be as important as if you win. Texas Tech’s 17-14 victory over TCU last Thursday in Fort Worth disappointed those who had tuned in expecting a point total that would short-circuit the scoreboard. In seven previous meetings as Big 12 foes, the average score between the Frogs and the Red…

You've got questions, The Open Man has answers. Sometimes. The only way to find out is to participate! Send your questions on Twitter @kensing45 or @the_open_man. You can also email kyle@theopenman.com. Home field advantage. Overrated? Underrated? Things that play into it more so than just crowd noise? — Michael Castillo (@MichaelCastFS) October 17, 2018 Providing…